1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical imaging apparatus for, a medical image display apparatus for, and a method of providing an image data. The present invention also relates to a computer readable medium on which is stored a program module for providing an image data.
2. Discussion of the Background
Medical diagnosis images are usually presented to a patient so that a doctor and the patient can share information of the images. This is important in terms of an informed consent. In some cases, the patient may be given a copy of the images, particularly when the patient was imaged by an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus. Some reasons of giving the patient ultrasound diagnosis images occasionally but more often compared to other medical images may be as follows:    (a) The images may be given as a record of fetus (and embryo) growth when an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus is used for an obstetrical service;    (b) It is easy to treat and provide the images to the patient since the image size is similar to that of a general-purpose photograph; and    (c) The images are easily printed out and given to the patient since the images can be printed out from an accompanying printer right on the spot and even during an examination with the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus.
Meanwhile, an instant photo machine to make tiny stickers called ‘print club’ (trademark) stickers is known and described, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. U3014733. In this machine, a camera shoots a subject (usually a person) and a resulting image is synthesized with a predetermined decorative image which has been stored in the machine. The synthesized image sticker is printed out on the spot right away. The decorative image is an image to become a subject for the synthesis with the shot image. The decorative image may usually feature popular characters of cartoon or the like. The decorative image may also have a shape of a frame. When a plurality of decorative images have been prepared in advance, the person as a user of the machine may be allowed to select one of the decorative images according to his or her preference. The decorative image may alternatively feature a specific local area such as, for example, a tourist spot so that a synthesized image sticker can be commemorative of the tourist spot.
The ultrasound diagnosis image is occasionally given to the patient. However, such ultrasound diagnosis image is neither decorated nor interesting to see compared to the ‘print club’ (trademark) sticker. This is because the ultrasound diagnosis image is originally and basically prepared for the diagnostic purpose.
Medical images which are imaged by a medical imaging apparatus such as, for example, an X-ray diagnosis apparatus, an X-rat computed tomography apparatus, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, a nuclear medicine diagnosis apparatus, an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus, an endoscope, or the like provides an internal condition of the patient. Therefore, it is not possible to apply the instant photo machine described above to the medical images.
Nowadays, personal computers have been major instruments in the office and even privately. If one uses an image scanning device coupled to a personal computer and scans the printed out medical image, it may not be difficult to take in the medical image into the personal computer as digital data. Since there is quite a number of software for the personal computer for image synthesis, it may be possible to decorate the medical image with other image in the personal computer.
However, it is cumbersome for the patient to take in the medical image given by the doctor into the personal computer. In terms of this problem, the synthesizing operation is provided in business as a commercial service. Whether privately or in business, the medical image taken-in by the scanning device is likely to deteriorate its image quality. The image quality is quite important since the medical image usually shows details of the internal condition of the patient as long as the medical image is desired to be kept as something to show the internal condition even if it is just for the commemorative purpose. In addition, the medical image typically includes and shows imaging condition information and patient information. Therefore, if the patient brings the medical image to the commercial service shop for the image decoration synthesis, his or her personal information turns out to be known to assistants in the service shop.
The medical image(s) given to the patient by the doctor may not be the patient's desired image(s). For example, when the given medical image shows a fetus in an expecting mother as the patient, she would like to have an image showing her fetus well from her point of view but may not have a chance to choose one she likes.
Interpretation of the medical image usually requires highly skill and expert knowledge, addis almost impossible for an ordinary person including the patient and the assistants in the service shop. For example, when the medical image shows an organ including a tumor, neither of the patient or the assistants knows where the tumor is in the medical image. Also for example, when the medical image shows a fetus, neither of the patient or the assistants knows where a heart of the fetus is in the medical image. Although the doctor may explain to the patient where the tumor or the heart is, the patient may forget it later or it may be difficult for the patient to remember it.